Emma Caulfield said, "Never did I imagine we would be doing this." She had no desire to revisit the Buffy the Vampire Slayer universe before Amber Benson spearheaded this new project. Christopher Golden was also a part of the team.

Some familiar faces will be returning to Sunnydale as part of a new project that will reunite the stars of Buffy the Vampire Slayer 20 years after the series finale of the original show.

The new Audible Original audio show slayers: a Buffyverse story includes many returning characters, and some whose fates appeared to be sealed in both BTVS, and its spinoff angel. James Marsters is back for the series, along with Charisma Carpenter and Anthony Head. Also returning are Emma Caulfield Ford and Amber Benson.

Benson is also a double-duty writer and director, working with Christopher Golden. She has previously worked together on Buffy comics. Golden contacted Benson when he heard Audible was working on a Buffy project. Ideas started to flow, including Cordelia's return as the only vampire slayer in another universe.

"I feel as if I'm banging a drum but, Cordelia the Vampire Slayer is so important to me. Charisma was my co-star in a movie. We had a scene together, and she was amazing. I thought, "Oh my God, she is not only funny and charming, but she's also a solid actor who can play a dramatic role!" Benson recalled that she was "amazing". "And I thought, well, I'd love to see Cordelia get some justice." How can we do this? Multiverses are full of interesting things, including Cordelia the Vampire Slayer. "It was important for me to have this."

The world of the hit TV show 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer,' is now an Audible Original about the connections that will never die -- even if they are buried.
Listen to 'Slayers: A Buffyverse Story' on October 12: https://t.co/Dm58U5OIgL #SlayersxAudible pic.twitter.com/NeELDZHjaQ

-- Audible (@audible_com) October 4, 2023

Carpenter and other stars, including Joss, have accused Whedon of creating a toxic workplace. This podcast was for some cast members a way to reclaim some narrative from the show and regain control over characters they portrayed.

Carpenter claims that her departure came after she announced she was pregnant. In her account Whedon asked her if she "was going to keep" the child, called her "fat", and "then proceeded to attack my role, mock my religion, accuse [me] of sabotaging my show and then unceremoniously terminated me the following year once I had given birth." He only admitted to being "not courteous" towards her.

Benson's Tara was also killed in a shooting, which sparked Dark Willow's revenge plot. Although the actress was allegedly invited back, she said in Evan Ross Katz' Into Each Generation a Slayer is Born: How Buffy Stained Our Hearts book that she did not "trust what was going to be" with her character and that she didn't want "to go back to a situation that was not safe for me emotional."

When we did Slayers for the Audible Original Podcast, I was very conscious of my Tara fan base. I'm very, very attached to them. She's a character that is very important to many people. Benson said that it was great to be able to control the story. I think that as artists, we always find it really cool to have the ability to shape characters based on their journey and arc. That was really cool.

Caulfield's character Anya, who was killed in the finale of the series at her request, was treated differently. Her death was so sudden and abrupt, without any real grief or afterthoughts, that she said it felt like "Go f--- yourself".

"I never felt that Anya had ever let me down. I know it's not a popular opinion among those who love Anya. Caulfield said, "I had a stake in her leaving." "Was i happy with the way it was executed in the previous situation, no. That's not the answer I wanted. This is how I expected it to go. It was as if, "Oh, this feels personal." It feels personal."

"So, in that sense, yeah, okay, let's just start over here, and I think it is wonderfully done," she said about where we find Anya on the new podcast. Like Cordelia and Tara she returns in part as a version of the character in an alternate dimension. "As a person who had a stake in it and helped create this character, it was exciting for me.

She still needed to be convinced.

Amber pitched it to me and we are good friends. She said, "I'm sure you won't say yes to this." She began to talk and I said, "No way. I won't revisit her. She died. Let her live in peace." Remember, I asked for my death. "I don't want to go back," explained she. "She talked for a couple more minutes, and then I said 'I am in.' 'Very in. She is very convincing. "It was the best time ever, she was amazing."

Caulfield has always been honest with fans when they asked if there would be a follow-up project. She replied, "sincerely, no" because "it was not something she wanted." She also said that while there have been other attempts to revive the series, "this isn’t that." The podcast "is its own thing," which "stays true to who these characters are," and also gives the cast the opportunity to "shine a light" on something or a trait that wasn't necessarily able to shine through in the first go.

Benson, a person she "completely trusts", was one of those steering the boat.

She's so intelligent and has a nuanced understanding of the world. She is a micro and macro actor, and can also be on the other side. She said, "The way she communicates is amazing." "I love it when actors turn into directors or writers. Directors are the best, as they understand it. They won't be saying, "Hey, could you be sadder?" What kind of direction does that man take?"

She also recruited many of her former co-stars for the podcast, claiming that she "made so many phone calls" to recruit them before COVID. When it was time to record, the assembled cast were shocked at how many signed up.

Golden said that his favorite part was that, when we entered the recording studio, some of the cast members didn't even realize that Tony Head would be there. They were like, "Tony said Yes? Yes! Yes! I still remember Charisma's look when we told her Danny Strong would be in the movie. She was like: "You got Danny Strong to say yes?" Yes!"

"That was the best part - to have actors who hadn't played scenes together before, play them together. He concluded, "It's a real pleasure."

The emotional aspect was not forgotten.

It was very emotional. I cried with joy. Caulfield described the experience of entering the studio as "so much fun and weird". "It's surreal, I've never imagined we would be doing this, and how much I love everyone in the studio." Caulfield said. .

Benson and Golden both revealed that poor Marsters had to record separate audio from the rest of the team because he fell ill when it was time to do so. Benson said that he still managed to do it in a small room where he was able to see everyone, and called him a trooper for his efforts.

You know? "These are actors I love." You know? "I love them all," she said, adding that the tears came for her when they were wrapped.

Everyone was asking, "Can we do another one please?" Like right now. Benson added, "It was like no one wanted leave." Golden compared the experience to the first day of school when everyone was apprehensive before things clicked.

Caulfield said that she would love to see Slayers continue. Caulfield said she was "100%" in favor of a second season. "Please tell them more, please!"

-----------------------------------

Title: New Buffy Project Finds 'Justice for Cordelia' as Cast Takes Control of Beloved Characters (Exclusive)
Sourced From: www.toofab.com/2023/10/10/slayers-buffy-podcast-justice-for-cordelia/
Published Date: Tue, 10 Oct 2023 21:29:41 +0000

Read More